The Desperado and the Deity
by Workaday Wordsmith
Summary: Link begins his adventure in the dungeons of Hyrule. This is the story of his escape and eventual redemption. Takes place several generations after Twilight Princess. Rated T for some violence and language. Cover by SpoonfishLee.
1. Chapter 1

The Desperado and the Deity

Soaked to the bone, I try to stay as dry as possible with little success. The roof of the dungeon is too leaky and the chain cuffed to my ankle is too short to avoid the filthy runoff from Castle Town above. Miserably, I hug myself as I'm splashed with another torrent of water.

 _Quite a situation you've landed in, Link,"_ I think to myself. Except for a brief time in the Twilight Realm, I am unfamiliar with any other Hero of Legend being imprisoned in Hyrule Castle's dungeon. It's about as terrible as one could expect; there's little food, no comfort, and the malice of underpaid guards.

I've spent countless hours trying to escape, but with little success. I am chained by the ankle to the wall of the tiny cell and the chain is apparently enchanted. Even if I were to miraculously break the chain, I would have to deal with the solid cell door, a sewer crawling with guards, and the gates of Castle Town. Despite the impossibility of escape, I must find a way. It's a matter of life and death.

An unnerving laugh suddenly echoes throughout my cell.

I snap to attention. The laughter seems loud and discordant to a man who hasn't been spoken to in several days. A lone figure stands outside my cell, hunched over under what seems to be a large pack on his back.

"Who are you?" I ask, my voice cracking with underuse.

"That's not important," the stranger says, wringing his hands. His voice is high pitched and it reminds me of the hiss of snakes. "What is important is that I know of a way to get you out of here."

That gets my attention. I sit up in the growing puddle in my cell. Through the dim torchlight outside, I get a glimpse of the stranger's grinning face. I recognize this man from my parents' old books; it is the Happy Mask Salesman. My eyes grow wide. These are strange times indeed.

"What do you have in mind, stranger?" I ask, stretching as far as my chain will allow.

"Ho ho ho!" He chuckles. "Straight to the point, as always. Very well. I have the means of allowing you to escape. In return… I expect you to do something for me."

My heart sinks. There's always a catch with this guy. "Go on," I say gruffly.

"Throughout my travels, I've never had problems with your government," he says, looking pensive. "That's why I frequent your world so much. But… my shop was searched by your guards and a particularly powerful mask was taken from me." His thoughtful smile dissolves into a frown. "That is why… I hope you will return it to me."

 _I shouldn't have expected anything else from this guy_ , I think, repositioning myself on the stone floor. "What will this mask look like?" I ask.

"You'll know it when you see it," he says, his smile returning. "It is in the possetion of the one that has caused all of your problems."

That got my attention, but I keep my expression unreadable. "That seems an awful lot of dangerous work for just a simple jailbreak," I say cautiously.

"That is why I offer what you desire most," he says, producing a bottle from his bag and showing me the contents.

My heart skips. It's almost too good to be true. "It's a deal," I say and he stows the bottle in his pack again. "Any timeframe for the job? You seem pretty big on your schedule."

"Things aren't quite so urgent this time," he chuckles, but quickly shifts to a look of nervousness. "But I fear that terrible things will happen if you fail. If that mask were to get into the wrong hands…"

"Don't worry about it, I have you covered," I say. "Just get me out of here and I'll take care of the rest."

"Excellent," exclaims the Happy Mask Salesman, producing something very small from his bag.

"This is Faroe's wind," he says. He holds a green light enclosed in a crystal smaller than my thumbnail. "Magic has been very rare in your world as of late, so even this small portion is worth a fortune. This will get you to the surface." He tosses it to me. "Keep in mind that it's only one use."

"Okay, but what about this?" I motion to the chain around my ankle.

He snaps his fingers and the chain breaks, but the cuff remains on my ankle. I stand up and stretch for the first time in weeks.

"Well then, I am counting on you," the smiling salesman says. "Believe in your strengths…. Believe…"

I nod, holding my breath as I break the tiny crystal between my fingers. The world dissolves into a sphere of blinding green light.

The light dissipates in a flash that seems to pierce through my skull as my feet hit pavement. Not exactly discrete, but it's so early in the morning that hopefully nobody noticed.

As my vision returns to normal, I realize I'm in a particularly bleak alleyway of Castletown that I happen to recognize. I've been lucky so far. I quickly duck into a shadowy part of the alley to avoid any potential onlookers and the pouring rain.

My mind's running at a million miles a minute. I'm going to have to come up with a plan soon before the guards realize I'm gone. I suppose the west's my best bet, since the gates are not as well guarded and the wastes would discourage a potential posse. It won't exactly be the easiest route; the road's a little longer than I would prefer and there's a reason why a posse would be reluctant to journey through the wastes. But it's the best chance I have.

One thing's for certain: I won't be going anywhere without supplies. I take off down the alleyway at a brisk trot. The pavement's rough on my bare feet and I wince as the chain clanks with every step.

Not far down the road, I reach my destination : "Nayru's Curios". It's been several years since I've visited this store, but I'm hoping it still caries similar wares. I'm not surprised that the door's locked. I rummage through some garbage and find a thin piece of metal that'll do. With a little tinkering, the door opens.

The small store's even darker than the street outside, but my recent jailtime helps my eyes adjust quickly. The wares have been shifted around since the last time I was here, but everything's fairly easy to find.

The reason why I chose this particular store lies in the glass case by the counter; a Deku wood staff. The price tag reads a whopping 600 rupees, but, if I remember correctly, it's worth it. After rummaging a bit for keys, I carefully unlock the case and pull it out.

The staff's just an inch or two shorter than me, so I assume it's 5'6''. I weight it in my hands and it feels strangely light. Maybe, just maybe…

Feeling daring, I light a nearby lantern and shade the light so most of it is blocked. Sure enough, as I hold the staff to the light, the light it seems to refract around the staff in a way that it normally wouldn't. My heart begins to race. This staff is enchanted. If I'm right, this could withstand a swing from most swords. _Maybe my luck's beginning to change after all_ , I think, possessively clutching the staff.

I quietly peruse the room, gathering a knapsack, some flint and steel, a loaf of bread, a skin of water, and a forest green travelling cloak that I throw on over my filthy rags. I feel a pang of guilt as I shove the bread in the knapsack, but I've no other choice but thievery if I want to survive the wastes.

A pair of boots catches my eye and I press one to my foot. Close enough. I step into one and quietly sit on a bench, taking a deep breath. Cringing, I shove the boot over the cuff around my ankle. I'll take care of that later.

Just as I adjust the chain inside the boot, insistent barking breaks the silence. I freeze. A perfectly black dog crawls out from under the bench, yapping away. Seconds later, a nearby door bursts open and a middle aged man jumps out, brandishing a knife. He's huge, probably a retired royal guard. And he's blocking the doorway.

Steeling myself, I quickly leap off the bench and manage to catch the shopkeeper in the side with my staff. He grunts, but I don't seem to faze him. Sure enough, he lunges forward, but I've kept my distance enough to easily sidestep him.

As he stumbles past, I remember the days of sparring with my father. I twist, taking out his legs. Before he can react, I swing the staff down with a sickening thump.

He'll live, but he won't give me any more trouble tonight.

I hear a scream. I look up, seeing a young woman about my age. Her eyes are as wide as fried eggs.

"YOU MONSTER!" she bellows. I turn around and get the hell out of there, her screams echoing through my ears. My heart aches.

I've only taken a few hurried steps from the shop when the night explodes with the sound of bells. The castle alarm has been sounded. It was bound to happen sooner or later, but I was hoping I could be clear in time. I step up the pace and the wind begins to whistle through my ears.

The gates are in sight, but people curiously begin to peer out their windows and several point at me curiously. My stomach growls, and I hope I'll have enough juice to get out of here.

It's been only a couple of minutes by the time I approach the gates, so only four guards stand determidly in front of the gates. Two stand with their spears facing me and the others ready their swords. I come to a stop, casually repositioning my staff.

"Halt!" says the one on the left. Sounds confident enough. "We will not hesitate to kill, prisoner."

I'm breathing a little heavily, but I try to suppress it. "Go for it," I say, forcing a smile.

Immediately, the swordsmen charge forward, closely followed by the spears. One immediately tries for an uppercut, but I easily parry the blow, forcing him back a few paces. Looks like the staff's enchanted after all.

The other swordsman flanks me, but I manage to land a kick to an unarmored thigh and he falls to his knees.

One spear strikes, than another, but I manage to dodge both. I may be underfed and out of shape, but I'm still faster than these guys. I am outnumbered, though, so I need to end this fight fast.

I see the first swordsman from a mile away as his dashes forward, blood in his eyes. I leap out of the way and a spear thrusts through his armor. He howls and the spearsman swears. I don't think it pierced his mail, but that'll be one hell of a bruise.

The other spearsman and swordsman come at me together. I parry left, then follow with a devastating uppercut. The swordsman narrowly dodges, but the blow smashes the other guard across the face, knocking off his helmet and sending him sprawling onto the pavement. I manage to get antother hit in before the other guard regains his balance and hear the sound of a breaking leg. A crack to the face and he goes down as well.

I see movment in the corner of my eye, so I instinctively duck. The knife clangs against the stone wall behind me. I allow myself to fall from my duck into a roll. When I face forward, the remaining guard silently kneels with his hands up.

"Sorry," I say, and clang the staff against his helmet. Like the others, he falls.

Without another glance, I charge through the gates and across the bridge. I may have escaped the castle with luck and adrenaline, but it'll take a lot more than that to survive the wastes.

As I enter the desolate West Hyrule Field, I take stock of my situation. .Not only was I jailed for a crime that I certainly committed, but, since I just escaped, I apparently have no respect for the concept of receiving just punishment.

Maybe someday I'll pay the price for my crime. But not today. There are more important things at stake right now than justice.


	2. Chapter 2

I lay on my bed, plucking a few strings from the Goddess's Harp from the light of the morning sun. This is always my favorite part of the day, when I am able to be an ordinary girl, free from responsibilities and distractions…

Right on cue, there's a knock on the door. "Princess Zelda."

I sigh. Impa knows better than to interrupt me in the morning, but I expect that she has something really important to tell me. "Come in, Impa."

She enters, standing straight as a rod, wasting no time or steps. After closing the door, she clasps her arms behind her back and looks at me with her unyielding unreadable expression. "I see that you're enjoying the harp. I knew it belonged in the hands of the princess.

I want to roll my eyes, but I take a deep breath to calm myself instead. I respect Impa too much to show her disrespect. "Yes, it's very nice," I say, placing the harp on my bedside table. "What did you come to tell me?"

Her mouth tightens. "A prisoner escaped last night. The Hero of Legend."

I'm so shocked I almost fall out of bed. Now I see why she interrupted my morning ritual. "How?" I ask, gawking. "Nobody's ever done that before."

"We don't know," Impa says. "A guard came to bring him his breakfast this morning and he simply wasn't there. His chain was broken, but the walls were undamaged and the door was unopened."

I push my hair out of my face. "How odd," I say. "Well, what have we done to catch him?"

"The guards at the west gate fought bravely, but he pushed through into the wastes," Impa says. She moves closer to my bed. "I have sent two Knights to take care of him."

I shiver instinctively at the name of the Knights. But there are more important things at hand at the moment. "It seems odd that the Hero is now a fugitive," I say. "He is called a hero for a reason. If he wasn't with us in the War, we would've been destroyed for sure."

Impa raises an eyebrow, but her stony expression remains. "Perhaps," she says, "But what he has done is inexcusable. No one is above the law. Not him, not me, not even you, princess. He must answer to his crimes, just like anyone else."

She turns to gaze out my window, looking out into the rising sun. Her back is to me, but I can see all of her muscles tighten. "Now he is a hero only in name."

After a moment, she relaxes and looks at me again with her usual blank expression. "I'm sorry to trouble you with this news, princess. But you must be informed of what occurs in your kingdom."

Impa is my oldest advisor. She raised me from birth and since my parents died, she's all I have left. Plus, she's run the kingdom admirably and it's on pace to be the safest it's ever been by the time I'm old enough to take the throne.

"Thank you, Impa," I say, giving her the kindest smile I can this early in the morning. "You are dismissed."

Bowing, she exits my room as I rise from my bed and begin to choose a dress for the day.

* * *

The wastes are as desolate as I remember them. There are no plants, except for patches of burnt grass scattered across fields of ugly dirt. There's not much food and absolutely no water to count on. I'm just glad I grabbed some bread.

I've been walking at a brisk pace for several hours and I still haven't taken a gulp of water. Naturally I will have guards following me and they'll be on horses, so I don't have much time to waste. They may overtake me eventually, but I'll have to cross that bridge when I come to it.

The ground drops to a gradual incline and I come to a lonely gnarled tree. This is probably the closest thing to a shelter that I'll see for a long time, so I take a moment to rest, leaning up against the scorched trunk and dropping my knapsack in the dirt. I allow myself a sip of water.

God, I haven't been in the wastes since the days of the war. The Bublins were vicious, with a lust for blood that could not be quenched. They passed through Hyrule like a wave and laid siege to Castle Town for months. A raid on my village is what inspired me to take up the sword.

The soldiers of Castle Town were stranded in the castle, so my role was to unite the nations against our common foe. They didn't need much convincing. They probably would've followed anyone in a green tunic.

After months of bloodshed, I had finally gathered enough of the nations to attack the Bublins that had the castle under siege. With my army of Gorons, Zoras, villagers, and the castle's hungry but determined guards, we were evenly matched.

The battle's turning point was my battle with the new King Bublin, who wielded a strange magic unlike anything ever seen in Hyrule. The battle was long and hard and I lost a few ribs, but I eventually slayed the monster and the Bublins scattered.

It may sound glorious, but the war was pretty miserable. Most of the war was senseless and bloody. I was barely more than a boy in the beginning, but after a few battles, I was left hardened and bitter. I longed for the noble adventures of my predecessors.

Pretty much the only part of the war worth remembering was the feast afterwards. God, everyone was so happy and thankful. I couldn't help but be a little sad, though, when I met that little princess. She was just a girl, hardly even my sister's age, who lost her parents in the war. She thanked me for my service and smiled, but I could tell her heart wasn't in it.

The war may have been rough, but it seems like a festival compared to the situation I'm in now. If nothing else, I miss the black and white quality of war. I knew who my friend was and who my foe was. Now everything's just a muddle of gray.

* * *

I snap to attention. I must've dozed off, but judging from the sun, it was only for a few minutes.

When I hear noises coming from my knapsack, I freeze, and slowly turn my head to look. Something's completely enclosed by the bag, making little noises. The bread! I immediately snatch the bag and pull the creature out of it.

When the thief is revealed, he immediately starts wailing. It's a skull kid, and a young one at that. Tears run down his little straw face and crumbs drop from his sobbing mouth.

I feel my face getting hot. The skull kid tries to wiggle free, but I keep a firm grip on him. Regardless of who the thief is, I'm beyond furious. I'm journeying across a desert with no plants, little wildlife, and nothing to hunt with. That bread was the only food I had. Plus I'm not exactly well-fed from my time in prison In short, that bread was my life.

I grasp my staff a little tighter. Maybe that bread should be his last supper, or I could at least give him a good beating.

Wait a minute, I'm not some kind of monster. The bread's gone, there's no getting it back. Plus, this kid's not exactly edible. I fling the skull kid on the ground and he skitters into the distance.

Guess I'll just have to make do. I've dallied long enough, so I need to think of something quick. Surveying the ground around my feet, I notice an abnormally sharp and pointy rock. _This'll do just fine,_ I think, ripping off a piece of my rags and lashing the rock to the end of my staff. Not the best spear I've ever seen, but it'll do. Hungry but hopeful, I pass the tree and continue the long march through the wastes.

After several miles and a restless night of walking, I'm relieved to see a bird circling across the sky the next morning. It's pretty high up, but it looks like it's in throwing distance. Trying to remember the last time I threw a spear (and failing), I hurl my staff into the air with all the force I can muster. It sails even higher than I hoped, but it missed by a longshot.

 _That's just a fluke,_ Link. I think. _It's just too high up. Just try again later._

After a few hours, I see a rabbit. Luckily I'm near a patch of fairly green weeds, so I blend in pretty well. I kneel down to get into position and a twig breaks. _Shit!_ Immediately the rabbit takes off. Without stopping to think, I pull the spear back, aim for a split second and let it fly.

I groan as it misses by a long shot. I don't have much experience with spears. Regardless, I had a good, clean shot and failed. I'm just wasting my energy. Fuming at my lack of expertise, I tear the strip of cloth from the staff and throw my makeshift spear in the dirt. My stomach growls uncomfortably as I keep walking.

By the third night, I've slowed down considerably. I'm still making decent progress, but I've gone without sleep and food for almost 72 hours. Needless to say, I'm feeling pretty weak. Anyway, in this dark, I'll be lucky not to stumble into the canyon.

Wait, what was that? I hear a sound, the first sound I've heard in days that's not the wind, birds, or my footsteps. _Not a good sign_ , I think, and crouch down painfully behind a small hill.

Sure enough, as the sound gets closer, I recognize the sound of hooves. I tighten my grip on my staff but remain still. Soon the riders come into sight, riding just a short ways from my hiding place and coming to a stop. I clench my teeth

It's just about the worst situation I could imagine: lying totally exposed just a few feet away from two Knights. The riders are ill-dressed for the wilderness in their full suits of shining white armor, but they seem perfectly healthy and well-fed judging from the way they carry themselves. They do not speak, they just survey the landscape slowly and methodically. A gust of wind picks up and I catch their scent. I repress a gag; they smell like death. Just as before, I get the feeling that these guys are not quite right. My stomach churns, and not just from hunger.

After several minutes, the knights continue again and I can breathe. But judging from my experience with them, I'll be meeting them again.

* * *

That is, if I don't starve first. By noon of the next day I have little fat left on my bones, if any, and every step is a colossal effort. To make matters worse, I'm barely halfway to my destination. I just want to lie down and sleep, but I know that I wouldn't get up again.

I look up from my feet and notice a small, out-of-place hut for the first time. Maybe whoever lives here has food or weapons. I somehow find the energy to stumble to the door and open it.

The cabin's completely empty, without anything at all on the shelves or furniture of any kind. There is, however, someone in the dark corner.

"Who are you?" I say, my voice cracking. I point my staff at the stranger.

"I see that you're not doing so well," a familiar voice says. The figure emerges from the shadows. It's the Happy Mark Salesman.

"You could say that," I say weakly. I hold the staff limply by my side. "Don't happen to have any food, do you?"

The Salesman laughs, his eyes shining. "No, I'm afraid not. But I could provide you with a weapon. For the right price, at least."

I hesitate. This guy drives a hard bargain. But I don't have much of a choice. "All right. What do you have in mind?"

He can hardly contain his glee. "How about a bow for, say, the Master Sword?"

"No," I say firmly. I don't even have to think about it. "That's not on the table."

He seamlessly shifts from gleeful to furious. "I don't think you're in a position to bargain," he snaps, eyes wild.

"Sure I am. Last time I checked, I'm doing a job for you." It's pretty hard to seem confident in my condition. "So it looks like you need me just as much as I need you."

He chuckles, eyes aflame. The effect is fairly creepy, but I don't budge. "No, not quite as much. One thing's for certain, my help does not come free."

I think for a moment. I don't have too many possessions, even back home, but I can't think of anything that even come close to the value of that sacred weapon. Unless…

"How about the Goddess's harp?" I'm not too happy about the offer, but I don't have much of a choice.

That pleases him. "That sounds like a deal. The Goddess harp for a bow." The salesman looks friendly once again.

"And arrows," I say quickly.

"Yes, and arrows." He reaches into his pack and produces a reasonably decent bow and quiver of arrows.

As I lay my hands on the weapon, he keeps ahold of them. "You needed a little nudge to keep you going, but don't expect me to be so kind again," he hisses. "I'm a busy man. I've invested a lot in you. I expect you not to disappoint me."

My skin crawls as I meet his eyes. "Yes, of course."

"Very well," he says cheerfully, releasing his grip. "The next time I see you, I expect results." He exits through the door and is gone.

* * *

I may have a feasible hunting weapon now, but I don't have any food yet. Several hours later, I've managed to stumble a few miles, but I don't know how much longer I can last.

Out of the corner of my eye, I catch a glimpse of rabbit. It takes off, somehow sensing my presence, but I loose an arrow and it hits its mark. It came at great cost, but it looks like my luck has turned after all.

Now that I have a bow, I am able to survive much more easily. In the next few days, I take down three birds and two more rabbits. I eat much better than I do in prison, anyway. On the evening of the sixth night, the lights of Kakariko Village twinkle in the distance. Looks like I made it.

As I pass through the gate to enter the village, something wooshes through the air. I jump backward without thinking and narrowly miss the tip of a sword. I crouch down, readying my staff, as two Knights emerge from the shadows, armed with impressive greatswords.

The second one goes for a stab, but I manage to roll to the side. These warriors are fast, much faster than the guards from Castle Town, and I would be dead already if I wasn't well-fed. I'm going to have to defeat them quickly if I want to survive.

I swing the staff in a truly beautiful arc, avoiding the blade of a sword and landing a sound hit on the closest Knight. There's a satisfying clang and an impressive dent, but the huge warrior barely even stumbles. A blow like that would have fell any normal man.

Immediately the other tries for a stab. I dodge again, but still catch a tip of the sword.

I grit my teeth, checking my wound. I'll live. But I'll have to change tactics if I hope to win.

I tuck the staff in the strap of my knapsack and pull my bow from around my shoulder as the dented knight goes for a kick. They're quick in their armor, but I still have the edge. I feint left and he falls for it, going for a swing in that direction. Instead I dive to the right, quickly readying an arrow and firing.

The light arrow whizzes through the air and contacts with a flash of light. When the light recedes, the knight has disappeared, but the other Knight quickly dashes forward, going for a downward blow.

In my panic I trip, falling onto my back. With hands like lightning, I ready another arrow and send it directly into his breastplate. I'm showered with particles of light and the Knight is no more.

Groaning, I apply pressure to my wound and stand up. Looks like I survived the wastes, so I'm one step closer to my destination. But time is running out. For all I know, I'm already too late.


End file.
